Feeding mechanism.



A. F. McCULLUM. FEEDING MECHENJSM. APPLICATiDN HLEDOCT- 16. I914-1,257,900. v Patented Feb. 26,1918.

. mum's-sneer 2.

A. F. McCOLLUM. rzmmmicnmlsm. '-APPLICAHON FILED OCT. l5. I914.

Patented Febf26, 1918.

vqwaarfl Collam I A. F. m couum.

Patbnted Fb. 26,1918.

1 SHEETSSHEET 4,

A. F. McGOLLUM.

FEEDING MECHAMSM.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. us. 1914.

, Patented Feb.

mums-sum A. F. McCOLLUM.

FEEDING MEBHAN'SM. APPLICATION man OQT- 15. 1919' 1,257,900. PatentedFeb. 26, 1918.

A. F. MCCULLUM. FEEDNG MECHAMSM.

mmcmou itLED on. :5, 9m

Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

1' SHEETS-SHEET I.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED F. MOCOLLUM, OF PiLOOMSBURG, PENNSYI VANIA, ASSIGINOR OF THREE-FIFTHS TO JAMES MAGEE, 21), OF BLOOMSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1913.

Todzll whom 2'!) may concern:

Be it knownthat I, ALFRED F. McConing in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, havein- 'vented certain Improvements in Feeding Mechanism, of which thefollowing is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a sewing mechanism particularlydesigned to facilitate the seaming and binding of fabrics such, as rugs,carpets and curtains which are diflicult to handle and especially thoseof the type described and claimed in my Patents Nos. 1,049,119 -and1,049,120, of December 31, 1912.

This object and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter setforth reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which, p

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a side elevation and a plan of myinvention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of aportion of the mechanism shown inFig. 1;

' Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical SBCCIOII.

taken on the line d--a, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing aportion of my invention as applied to asewing machine he'adi the latter being shown in dot and-dash lines;

Figs. (3, 7 and 8 are enlarged vertical sections taken on the line 6-5,Fig. 5,'show-.

ing several of the parts in certain of the positions which they occupyduring the operation of the machine; and

Figs. 9 and 10 are perspective iews showing certain features 0 myinvention.

In Figs. 1 to 4 'of the above drawings, the support or table for thefabrics to e sewed consists primarily of a frame I having two side membrs 2 and? connected by transversely extending tie rods 4 and providingbearings for, a series of rollers 5. The side members 2 and 3 areinclined longitudinally as shown in Fig 1 and are supported by standards6 each made in two sections 7 and 8 and adjustably secured togather byclamps'9.

The rollers 5 taper inwardly from each endand are of the smallestdiameter at the middle. A guiding rail 10, which is designed to supportthe edge of the fabric, (see Fig. 9) is discontinued between suitablepoints 11 and 12 to provide room for a table 13 which forms a supportfor the sewing machine head 14 (see Figs. 1, 2 and an eccentric 20operative within a stra nected by meaiis of 8').- This table is inclinedat substantially the same angle as the side members, the series ofrollers 5 ano rail 10 and forms the support for theedge of the fabricwhile it is being passed under the sewing machine head 14, bein hingedat 15 and 16 to the le 17 whic are adjustabl'y secured by bo ts 18 tofeet resting upon a floor.

The sewing machine head may be of any suitable type and I have thereforeonly shown such part of the mechanism therein as cooperates with orforms a part of my invention; the mechanism for actuating the needle,presser foot, and shuttle being omitted for sake ,of,clearness. Thefeeding mechanism and the mechanism for varying the length of stitch ishowever illustrated, and consists of a shaft 19 carrying 21slidable'between two arms '22 of a li ting or actuating lever 23. Thislever is pivotally connected at 24 to one end of a link 25 whoseopposite end is pivotally connected to one arm 26 of a bell-cranlilever-27 which is fulcrumed at 28-to the headof the machine (see Figs.6, (and 82'. The pivotal oints of the lever 23, the ink 25 and theell-crank lever 27 are so positioned that a rotary movement of theeccentric not only oscilla e's said first lever laterally as indicatcd ythe double-headed arrow as but will also 've it an up and down movementbecause 0 v the swinging of the link 25 on the' pivot connecting it tothe bell-crank lever.

The toothed fabric-feeding rack 30 is cona lever 31 toa shaft 32rotatably mounted under the bed 33 of the machine head, there being onsaid shaft a crank or eccentric portion 32 on which is mounted an arm 29pivotally connected to the lower end of the lever 23. With thisarrangement of parts an up and down movement. of the lever 23 willimpart a substantially horizontal reciprocating movement to the feedingrack 30, which at the same time in Fig. 7 the pivotally supported e'ndof the link will be raised so that when" "l'he eccentric 20 is rotatedthe path of move-i men t. of the pi vot point 24 is such that thevertical movement of the lever 23 is materially greater than when thebell-crank lever is in the position shown in Fig. 6. This increase inthe throw of the lever 23 produces an increased movement of the feedingrack 30 and thereby tends to feed a reater amount of the fabric underthe nee Is for each reciprocation than before the above adjustment.

For the purposes of drivin the machine an electric motor 38 is secure tothe under 'side of the table rind drives a pulley 39 on the shaft 19through the medium of belts 40 and 41 and a friction clutch 42, whichin'the present instance consists of two disks :43 and 44 respectivelyconnected by-safl-belts to said pulley 39: and to the motor. The disk4-3 is mbved into and-out of'contact with the disk 44 by means of a.lever' 45 pivoted at, 46 to the under side of the table 13. This lever45 is normally held in its u per position by a spring 46s9pured to saitable 18 and It is also connected by means of asprin 47 to u treadle 48pivotally mounted on e legs '17 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4).

At one end the treadle a bracket 49 in which is a slot 50 for thereception ofa pin 53 projecting froma link 51 on achain52r- The upperend of said chain is secured to the lower end of the rod'54 slidablethrough the table 13 and having a compression spr ng 55 confined betweensaid table and a nut 56 on said rod. The upper end of this latter ismovabl connecte to a threaded arm 57 screwe into the arm 58 ofthebell-crank lever 27. With this combination of arts,

9 after the treadle 48 has been moved ownwardly a certain distance thepin 53 will engage the upper end of the slot in the bracket 49 afterwhich the continued downward movement of said treadlewill pull the chaindownwardly and with it the rod 54 and arm 57 thereby turning thebell-crank lever 27 on its pivot throwing upwardly the arm 26 for thepurpose previously noted.

The rugs or other fabrics, which are to be seamed or bound at the edgesare first rolled as shown at a: in Fig. 9 and are then .placed' upon therollers 5 at the left hand end of the machine, as shown in Fi ,1. Theserollers 5 are freely rotatable an the to due to its own weight, movesdownwar on the guideway, thus provided, to an past the sewing machinehead where the o orator, guides the edge to be sewed under 't e sewmgneedle. 1

In order to prevent the rug from moving downwardly when it is notdesired as, for example when the machine is not running, a brake isprovided which consists of a strap 58 having one end secured at 59 tothe under portion of the rail 10 and extending alternately under andover a suitable number of the rollers (Figs. land 3). Its other end issecured at 60 to one arm 61 of a lever 62 pivoted on a'shaft 63 carriedby the legs 17. The second arm 64 of thislever is connected by a link 65to the treadlc 48, while a tension spring 66 extending between the floorand the arm 61 tends to keep the strap 58 taut and in contact with therollers 5 as well as assists in keeping the treadle 48 normally raised.k

The table 13 "s so positioned that the operator may sit in a positionindicated at X, Fig. 2, so as to face the sewing machine head 14. 1

Under conditions of use the motor 38 is started with the clutch disks 48and 44 disengaged so that the sewin machine is not in action. The rollsan o fabric are then placed on the uppermost rollers 5 with their outeredges grresting on the top surface of the rail 10 ig. 9 After placingthe ex: treme forward on of and edge under the needle of the sewingmachine the operator presses downwardly on the treadle 48 thus releasingthe brake by pulling down on the link 65 and arm 64 agamst the action ofthe spring 66, and allowing the roll of fabric to a move downwardl byravity over the rollera lito the need e. is downward move-- ment of thetread'le also turns the lever 45' throughthe spring 47 and therebybrings the two clutch disks 43 and 44' into engagement to causeoperation. of the sewingmachine which stitches the fabric as desired.Thechain 52 up to this time hasjnotbeen affected, owin tothe freemovement of the pin 58 in the s otBO, and the rod 54 and arm 57 are keptin their uppermost positions by the action of the sprin crank lever isheld in t e position shown in Fig. 6, to cause the sewing machine toform comparatively short stitches. The continued downward movement ofthe treadle 48 how: ever will bring the upper end of the extension 49into en agement with the pin 53.01:

rod Mend arm 57 downwardlyyto cause 55 so that the belllengthening ofthe stitches. In view of the fact that the machine is running duringthis movement of the stitch varyin mechanism it is-obvious that an edgecan bound and a seam'can be formed similar to that described and claimedin my 1,049,119, dated December 31, 1912.

It-will be further noted that in my present invention a single continueddownward movement of the treadle 48 is made to perto wit, it releasesthe brakeon the rollers and thereby allows the fabric to automaticallyfeed to the sewing machine; second, it starts the sewing machine; andthird, it effects Patent, No. 1

' form three separate and distinct-operations; 129

variation m the length of the stitches proi duced. After the treadle 48has been re leased by the operator it will be automatic lly raised bythe springs 47 and 66, and

the latter of these will then automatically not to apply the brake. Thespring 55 will move the rod 54 and bar 57 upwardly to again affect theshortening of the stitches and retain the actuatin position, while thespring 46" will tend to draw the friction clutch disk 43 out ofengagement with the disk 4% and thereby stop the operation of the sewingmachine.

A number of rolls of fabric such as rugs may be placed on the frame 1 atthe same time so that it is possible for the operator to sew themsuccessively without stopping the machine. If it be desired to apply abinding strip to the edges of the ru s, etc., they may be placed on therollers on to end with but short spaces between them, and a continuousstrip of binding can be sewed to two or more of them without stoppingthe machine, after which they may be separated by merely cutting thestrip connecting their Ends. The

trated one form of stitch changing means it is to be understood that anyot er device having a. member movable into difl'erent positions toefiect changes in the lengths of the stitches may be employedwithoutdepartmg from my invention.

I cluim: i

1-. The combination in a'sewing machine of a. stitch-changing device;driving mechanism; with a single member connected to sand device and .tothe driving mechanism and operative to start the machine and change thelength of the stitches.

2. The combination of a sewing machine including a stitch-changingdevice; means for operating the sewing machine; a'treadle forcontrolling said mean and connect1ons between the stitch-changing deviceand the treadle, capable of being actuated while the machine is inoperation.

3. The combination of a sewing machine including a stitch-chang ngdevice; means for controlling the operation of the sewing machine; and amember connected to the machine controlling means and to thestitchchanging device for successively throw ng the machine intooperation and changing the character of the stitches.

4. The combination in sewing mechanism of a sewing machine having ninclined lever in its normal angle of inclination of the supportingframe table; a guide rail inclined at substantially the angle of thetable and extending in the line of the stitches formedb the machine; andan inclined series of ro lers extending ad acent the rail in position touide a roll of material past the sewing mac mine at substantially thelevel of the table thereof.

The combination in sewing mechanism, including n sewing machine, of asupporting structure; work supporting rollers mounted thereon; a brakenlaccd to act on certain of the rollers; a controlling member; means forautomatically applying the brake to the rollers; and brake releasingmeans connected to said controlling member.

6. The combination in sewing mechanism, including a sewing machine, of asupportin structure; work supporting rollers mounte thereon; means forcontrolling the o era-- tion of the sewing machine; a brake p need toact on certain of the rollers; a controlling member; means forautomatically applying the brake; with means connecting the brake andmachine controlling means to the controlling member whereby movement ofthe latter releases the brake and starts the machine.

7. The combination in sewing mechanism of a sewing machine having aninclined work table; a supportin structure; a series of 9 worksupporting r0 lers inclined at substantially the angle of said table andmounted to guide a roll of material past the same; with means foradjusting the supportin structure to change the angle of the series 0rollers relatjvelyvto that of the sewing machine table: i 7 r 8. Thecombination, insewing mechanism including a sewing machine having atable, of a supporting structure; an inclined series of work supportinrollers mounted to guide a roll of material longitudinally past thesewing machine at substantially the level of its table; and means foradjusting the suporting structure to change the angle of inclination ofsaid series of rollers relatively to the sewing machine.

9. The combination in sewing mechanism, including a sewing machinehaving a work supporting table, of a supporting structure; a series ofrollers thereon for supporting the body portion of a fabric; and a railmounted to extend substantially within the plane of the table of themachine and of the series of rollers for supporting an edge of thefabric to guide it under the needle of the sewing machine.

10. The combination in sewing mechanism, including a sewing machine, ofa supporting structure; a series of rollers thereon for sup 1 25 portingthe body portion of a fabric; a rail for supporting an edge of thefabric to guide it under the needle of the sewing machine;

' a table for supporting the sewing machine;

and means for adjusting said table to bring releases the brake,

thebed of the sewing machine into the plane of the supporting surface ofsaid rail. 1

11. The combination in sewing mechanism, including a sewing machine, ofa supporting structure; a series of supporting rollers thereon havingtheir axes in an inclined plane; a rail for supporting the edge of saidfabric and extending in a plane parallel with that of said rollers;means for adjustin the angle of inclination of the series of rollers; atable for supporting the sewing machine; and means for adjusting saidtable to bring the bed of the sewing machine into the plane of thework-supporting surface of said rail.

12. The combination in sewing mechanism of a supporting structure;supporting rollers thereon; asewing machine including stitch-changinmechanism; driving means for said sewing-machine; a treadlc; a brake forthe rollers; and means connecting said treadle with the brake, thestitch-changing devices and driving means so that a movement of thetreadle in one direction releases the brake, throwia the actuating meansinto operation and gradually changes the charactor of the stitchproduced. I

-13. The combination in sewin mechanism of a supporting structure; f ricsup-i portin rollers thereon having their axes in an inc med plane;asewing machine including'a stitch changin -device; means includin arake for the rollers,- a trea 1e; means connecting the treadle with thebrake, the stitch-changin device and the clutchso that a movement 0the'treadle in one direction actu'ates the clutch to drive the machineand moves the stitchchanging device to gradually vary thecharacterof-the stitches. v

14. The combination of a supporting structure; supporting rollershavingtheir axes in an inclined p ane; a sewing machine including astitch-changing device; means including a clutch for driving themachine; a brake for' the rollers; a treadle, means forconnectingthe.treadle with the brake; means for automatically applyin the brake; aspring for automatically re easing the clutch; means for connecting saidclutch with the treadle; and means connecting the stitch-changing deviceand the treadle, the arrangement of parts being such that movement ofsaid treadle in one direction releases said brake, actuates said clutchto o ergte the machine and operates said stitch-c a ing device to varythe character of tge stitches.

15. The combination of a supportiiig' structure; su portin rollers avingtheir axes in an we mod p ane;ca se ng machine including ast1tch-chang1ng;.dev1ce; means the character a clutch for driving thesewin machine;

including clutch mechanism for driving the machine; a brake for therollers; a treadle; means connecting the treadle with the brake; meansforautomatically applying the brake; a spring for automaticallyreleasing the clutch; resilient means connecting said clutch mechanismwith the treadle; and means connecting the stitch-changing device andthe treadle whereby movement of said treadlo in one direction releasessaid brake, actuates said clutch to drive the machine and operates saidstitch-changing device to vary the character of the stitches.

16. The combination of a supporting structure; supporting rollers havingtheir axes in an inclined p ane; a sewing machine including astitch-changing device; means including clutch mechanism for driving themachine; a brake for means connecting the treadle with the brake; meansfor automatically applying the brake; a spring for automaticallyreleasing the clutch; means connecting said clutch mechanism with thetreadle; means connect,- ing the stitch-changing device and the treadlewhereby movement of said treadle in one direction releases saidbrakeg-actuates said clutch to operate the mach-ineand opcrates saidstitch-changing' devioe to vary of the stitches; and means forautomatically returning the stitch-changing device'to its normalposition.

17. The combination in sewing mechanism of a rail made in two portionsspaced apart a sewing machine extending into the space between said railportions with its table atthe level of the rail; and a series parallelto of rollers extending substantially the line of the rail with theiruppermost portions immediately adjacent the plane of the sewing machinetable, in position to guide a body of material thereby.

18. The combination of a rail formed in two portions spaced apart; asewing machine having a table exthnding into the space between saidportions; with a series of rollers tapering rom their ends toward theirmiddle portions and extending. in a line past the table of the sewin-machine, said series of rollers, t being all inclined at an an le topermit movement of are of materia on the rollers past the machine unddrthe action of cavity.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED F. MCCOLLUM.

Witnesses: I

Anons'ros B. COPPEB, Jos. H. Knrm.

e rail an the tablev the rollers; a treadle;

